Spear



March 10. 1925.

J. D. NIXON SPEAR Filed March 24. 1924 Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

, vUNITED STATES J EDDY D. NIXON. F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SPEAK.

Application filed March 24, 1924. Serial No. 701,406.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEDDY D. NIXON, a

'citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Spear, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a spear.

One object of the invention is to provide a spear, the general purpose of which is to handle pipe in a well bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which is of such construction that it may be .lowered into the upper end of a pipe in a Well bore and grappled therewith and through which the pipe may be pulled from the bore. The tool also embodies a construction whereby it may be released from the pipe and withdrawn in case the pipe can not be pulled.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features] of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of the device.

Figu the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and,

.Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view on the line 3,3 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a nipple whose upper end is reduced and.outwardly threaded to receive a coupling throu h which the spear may be connected to t e string of pipe through which it is handled. There is a bell shaped tubular guide 2 threaded, at its upper end, onto the nipple 1, and whose lower end is flared.

A mandrel 3 has its upper end threaded into said nipple, the mandrel being concentric with and located within and spaced from the guide. There is a water course 4 leading down through the nipple and mandrel, through which water may be forced down into the pipe to be pulled if desired. The lower end of the mandrel is flared and rounded off as shown.

Mounted on the mandrel there is a sleeve 5 provided with, a vertical slot 6 whose lower end is formed with alateral notch re 2 shows a cross sectional view on 7, and a set bolt 8 is threaded into the man drel and works through'said slot.

Formed integrally with the upper end of the sleeve 5 there are a plurality of outwardly curved flexible fingers 9, and depending from the sleeve there are a'plurality of ,yieldable bars 10, formed integrally therewith and whose lower ends have their inner sides outwardly tapered and the outer sides formed with teeth, thus forming pipe engaging jaws 11.

In use, the spear is let down into the well bore, and the guide 2 will fit over the upper end of the pipe to be pulled and direct the mandrel down into said pipe. When the spear enters the pipe the fingers 9 will press outwardly against the pipe walls and tend to hold the sleeve 5 stationary with respect to the mandrel, and the flared end of the mandrel will pass below the jaws 11, which will be contracted or in nonengaging-position. An upward pull on string of pipe, to which the spear is attached, will move the mandrel upwardly through the sleeve 5, and the flared end of the mandrel will expand the jaws into engagement with the pipe to be pulled.

If the pipe can not be pulled, the man drel may be lowered, to carry the set bolt to the lower end of the slot 6, and then gurned to carry the set bolt into the notch The flared ortion of the mandrel will thus be carrie below thevjaws 11 and they will contract and release the pipe. The

spear may be then pulled upwardly, the set bolt 8 engaging in the notch 7 and carryingv the sleeve 5 upwardly along with the mandrel, and the'entire device may be readily pulled from the bore.

What I claim is 1. A tool of the character described in- I eluding a mandrel having afiared portion, a sleeve mounted on the mandrel, yieldable friction means formed integrally with one end of the sleeve, expansible pipe engaging means carried by the other end of the sleeve,

said mandrel being movable into one posi:

tion, relative to said engaging means to expand the same and being movable mto another position relative .to said engaging (means to permit the same to contract, interlocking means for holding said .mandrel in said last mentioned position.

2. A tool of the character described including a downwardly flared expander, a

sleeve slidable thereon, yieldable friction means formed integrally with the sleeve, expansible pipe engaging means carried by said sleeve, said expander being movable in one direction, relative to the sleeve, to

expand said engaging means, and being movable in another direction to permit said engaging means to contract, inter-engaging means for holding the expander in said last named position relative to said sleeve.

3. A tool of the character described ineluding a mandrel having a flared ortlon, a sleeve mounted on the mandrel, yieldablc friction means carried by one end of the sleeve, expansible pipe engaging means carried by the other end of the sleeve, said mandrel being movable into one position, relative to said. engaging means to expand the vsame and being movable into another position relative to said engaging means to permit the same to contract, interlocking means for holding said mandrel into said last mentioned position, a bell shaped guide around and spaced from said mandrel and an anchor to which said guide and mandrel are attached at corresponding ends.

. 4. A tool of the character described including a downwardly flared expander, a sleeve slidable thereon, yieldable friction means carried by the sleeve, expansible pipe engaging means carriedby said sleeve, said expanderbeing movable in one direction, relative to the sleeve, to expand said engaging means, and being movable in another direction to permit said engaging means to contract, interengaging mJeans for holding the expander in said last named position relative to said-sleeve, and a tubular guide surrounding and spaced from said expander.

5. A tool of the character described including an anchor, a mandrel having a K flared portion depending therefrom, a sleeve slidable on said mandrel, flexible friction members formed integrally with one end of the sleeve, expansible pipe engaging means formed integrally with the other end of the sleeve, interengaging means carried by the mandrel and sleeve respectively which, in one position permit their limited relative mbvement, but which, in anotherposition, interlock to prevent their relative move-- ment, and a guide secured to said anchor and1 surrounding and spaced from the man 6. A tool of the character described including a mandrel whose lower end is flared, a sleeve slidable on said mandrel, one of said members having a vertical bearin formediwith a lateral notch and a stud. carried by the other member and working in said bearing, flexible friction means and expansible pipe engaging means formed integrally with said sleeve.

7. A tool of the character described in cluding a mandrel whose lower end 'is flared,

-a sleeve slidableon said mandrel, one of said members having a vertical bearing formed with a lateral notch and a stud carried by the other member and working in said bearing, flexible friction means and expansible pipe engaging means formed integrally with said sleeve, and a tubular guide surrounding and spaced from the mandrel.

8. A tool ofthe character described including a mandrel whose lower end is flared, a sleeve slidable on said mandrel, one of said members having a vertical bearing formed with a lateral notch and a stud carried by the other member and Working in said bearing, flexible friction means and expansible pipe engaging means formed integrally with said sleeve, an anchor from which said mandrel depends, and a bell shaped guide depending from said anchor which surrounds and is spaced from the mandrel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses;

E. V. HARnwAY, J OHN WM. PALMER. 

